The apocrypha, Christianity's 'hidden' texts, have shaped tradition for centuries

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - Feb. 26, 2026 - PRLog -- Christy Cobb, University of Denver, Rabbi Hebel Manuel, Synagogue of the Holy 7 Shofars

Of Jesus' 12 disciples, Saint Peter is one of the most important. In the Book of Matthew, Jesus declares that Peter is the "rock" on which "I will build my church," and Catholic tradition considers him the first pope. Martyred in Rome in the first century, Peter asked to be crucified upside down so that he would not die in the same way as Christ.

However, that famous story is not in the Bible. It appears in a text called "Acts of Peter," an "apocryphal" writing.

In ancient Greek, "apocrypha" means "hidden." The word is used for texts that are not part of an approved set of religious books, especially Christian texts outside the official biblical canon.

Yet these books are not so hidden. Some of them, like Acts of Peter, have shaped Christian tradition for centuries and are read by many people today. These stories are not only fun to read, but also provide valuable information about ideas that interested early Christians.

In my research as a scholar of early Christianity, I read and interpret apocryphal texts to explore the ways that early Jews and Christians understood and practiced their religion.

Capital-A 'Apocrypha'

When the word is capitalized, "Apocrypha" refers to a set of Jewish texts that are found in Roman Catholic Bibles, but they are not included in most Protestant Bibles.

These texts were valued within ancient Judaism, yet are not included in the Jewish sacred text the Tanakh. The Tanakh is similar to what Christians call the "Old Testament" or the "Hebrew Bible," but there are many important differences, including the order of texts and the books that are emphasized.

Examples of these Apocryphal books include Judith, Sirach and the First and Second Books of Maccabees. The story of Hanukkah comes from the Books of Maccabees when Jewish rebels overcame an oppressive ruler and rededicated the temple in Jerusalem – a reminder of the Apocryphal books' significance.

http://youtu.be/l_cN6_16l0k?si=vl9bPYIYhvlJCXra



https://www.egyptiancreationstory.com/synagogueoftheholy7...

https://theconversation.com/the-apocrypha-christianitys-hidden-texts-may-not-be-in-the-bible-but-they-have-shaped-tradition-for-centuries-274103